Inclosed switch



H. E. LEPPERT INCLOSED SWITCH 'Filed Jan. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 2, 1930. H. E. LEPPERT I INCLOSED swI'rcH Filed Jan. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY E. LEPPERT, F BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TR'UMBULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A. COR- PORATION OF CONNECTICUT INCLOSED swrron Application filed January 15, 1930. Serial No. 420,922.

My invention relates to electric switches and particularly of the inclosed type.

One object is to provide a simple, inexpen v sive but rugged and reliable construction.- Another object is to provide a compact and durable construction for hand operation.

Another object is to provide a construction which can be readily operated either by hand or by foot or by means of a lever or other opcrating implement.

Another object is to provide a switch of the spring pressed type which is so constructed that it will stand very rough treatment.

In the preferred form the invention contemplates an insulating base carrying stationary circuit and switch. terminals and a cross plate and a spring pressed block supported to slide toward and from the base and carrying movable switch plates adapted to coact with the plates on the base.

The base is supported in a box and the movable switch member has a projecting portion guided in the cover of the boX. The movable switch plates are themselves spring pressed 5 and tiltably mounted on the carrier block.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a switch e1n bodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showlng the cover broken away and the movable switch, mem- 30 her removed.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the plane of theiline 33 of Fig. 2-and including i the cover and movable switch member.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable switch member.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective View of the base and associated parts.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of one of the movable switch plates.

The box 10 has a cover 11 adapted to be socured in place by screws 12. The box is preferably of the type having one or more knopk- 45 outs for convenience in connecting conduits.

The insulating base 14 is secured to the box by one or more screws 15.

The stationary contacts 1616 are anchored to the base preferably by rivets 17 a0 and provided with binding screws or termierably mounted in grooves 19 in the base,

the Walls of whi'ch'prevent the plates from turning so that only a single rivet 17 is required for each.

Opposite the ends of the stationary switch contacts 16 is arranged a cross plate 20 spaced apart and in a'groove' 21 where it is held bya rivet 21.

A spindle'or post 22 has one end secured in the base 14 in any suitable manner and serves as a guide for the movable switch carrier 23 and the spring 24 which spring tends to press the carrier away from the base. The outer end or handle portion 25 of the carrier is guided in a passage or opening 26 in the cover. The inner part of the carrier 23 being Wider and longer than the opening 26 covers the edges of the opening when the switch is in its normal open circuit position. This carrier block 23 supports two contact plates 3030 each of which is mounted in a groove 31 and anchored by a rivet 32. A spring 33 on the rivet 32 presses against the movable contact plate 30 and tilts the plate so that one edge extends beyond the plane of the other as indicated in Fig. 5. This tilting eflect is produced by providing the plate 30 with a recess 34 whose surface is inclined to provide an inclined bearing for the spring. The opposite side of the plate is also provided with a recess 35 the wall of which is inclined toward the head 36 of the rivet so that the sprin 33 normally holds the plate 30 in the positlon of Fig. 3. These plates30 are arranged so as to engage the stationary contact plates 16 when the circuit is to be closed and at the same time the opposite ends of the plates 30 engage the opposite ends of the stationary plates 20. As pressure is applied the springs 24 and 33 are compressed and the plates 30 rock or tilt on their outer edges until the plates 30 lie substantially flat against the stationary plates 16 and 20.

.When pressure on the handle 25 is released the spring 24 lifts the carrier with the movable switch members and the springs 33 tilt plates 30 so that the inner edges of the plates 30 are the last to leave the stationary contact plates thus reducing the tendency to are.

It Wlll be noted that as the switch is oper- I ated the inner edges of the plates 30 scrape along the surfaces of the stationary plates so as to keep them free from oxide and so forth.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the switch is simple in construction and composed of a few parts and that it is rugged and therefore capable of withstanding very rough usage.

The arrangement is such that the circuit is made and broken at four points thus greatly reducing the tendency to are.

I claim:

1. A switch of the character described comprising a box having a cover, an insulating base mounted within the box and having two stationary switch contacts and a cross contact arranged opposite the ends thereof and a movable insulating carrier block having a portion projecting through the cover of the box and two switch plates carried by the carrier and adapted to make and break the circuit through the stationary plates at four points.

2. A switch including an insulating base having two stationary switch contacts and a cross contact arranged opposite the ends thereof, and a movable insulating carrier block and two switch plates carried by the carrier and adapted to make and break the circuit through the stationary plates atfour points.

3. In an electric switch, an insulating base having two spaced switch contacts with circuit terminals and a cross plate spaced apart from the ends of said contacts, a movable insulating carrier having two parallel switch plates and means for guiding the carrier so as to cause the movable plates to engage the stationary contacts and the cross plate.

4. In an electric switch, an insulating base having two spaced switch contacts with circuit terminals and a cross plate spaced apart from the ends of said contacts, a movable insulating carrier having two parallel switch plates and means for guiding the carrier so as to cause the movable plates to engage the stationary contacts and the cross plate, said movable plates being mounted on the carrier to permit tilting and spring means coacting with the tilting plates.

5. A switch having abase with grooves in the face thereof, contact plates mounted in said grooves and having circuit terminals, :1 carrier having grooves, and switch plates mounted to tilt in said grooves and to coact with said contact plates.

HENRY E. LEPPERT; 

